The 23-year-old appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court last Thursday, where she pleaded not guilty to murder.

She also denied the manslaughter of Ms Jones, who a preliminary inquest has heard suffered a fatal stab wound.

Jones was flanked by two security guards in the dock during the short hearing and had the charges translated through headphones into Welsh before twice answering: “Not guilty”.

She will now face a trial, which is expected to last six days, in October.

A pre-trial review will take place in May and Jones was further remanded in custody to that date.

Defence barrister Dafydd Roberts told the court that a psychiatric assessment had still not been completed and requested additional time for this to be produced to the court.

But Judge Merfyn Hughes QC said sufficient time had already been given for this to have been completed and refused the application for psychiatric evidence to be produced.

The hearing was attended by family of both Alwen Jones and Emma Jones, who were left visibly upset by the proceedings.

Emma, a catering and domestic assistant at an educational centre at Nantlle, was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor after the incident on December 10. She was pronounced dead soon after arrival.

The North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones opened an inquest into Emma’s death in January.

Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers carried out the post-mortem examination and although his detailed report was still to be received, he has indicated Emma died of shock and haemorrhage due to a stab wound to the chest which penetrated her heart.

Emma was a mum to 11-year-old Llyr, who is autistic.

Her death shocked villagers in Penygroes who were quick to pay tribute to mum-of-one.